Logging In Tokyo.....

[John Hart]

Stu...The pics you took with your cell phone...the ones that have your hat on the log....What tree is that? The figure looks awesome! Please let us know how the chainsaw sawmill goes...I've heard a lot of negative press....but would like to try it.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

The tree is Sakura, you know the ornamental Cherry tree that has the nice blossoms in the spring.

I've seen some amazing work done by chainsaw mills, and the little one that I made up for my small electric chainsaw worked VERY well.....


Just finished the cut


Not bad I think.

Cheers!

[John Hart]

I think you're pushing me over the edge! Thanks Stu!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I think you're pushing me over the edge! Thanks Stu!

Oh yeah, sure, go and blame ME!!!

Cheers!

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Your site must be down, I get all red x's here and no page when trying to load it. I'll check back later...sounds like a very interesting project!

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Works fine for me, I was just editing some pages.

The site is hosted in the US, and I'm in Japan, but I see it fine.

Hope you get a chance to see it later.

Cheers!

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Wow...there they are. They musta been offline just for a second, I see them all now. Very interesting indeed! I love the hoist through the floor. How large is the space downstairs? I'll bet the locals think you're nuts! I sure don't, if you have a place to store wood like that, you're in luck.

Very cool project! I'll go to the website and check it out.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Excellent writeup and a great way to cut logs into boards....well done!! I'll be staying tuned until you make something out of them, I know it'll be awhile...

Big Blue is a very cool bandsaw and from the looks of that blade, you didn't have any triuble cutting the boards.

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

I will MAKE a place to store it!

The space downstairs is about...

4.3 meters by 7.1 meters (14' x 23') or there abouts.

The pic is from a layout I had in a Japanese DIY mag, thus the nice wide angle shot (my digi camera don't do that!!)

Cheers!

(sorry about the large pic)

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Very cool! Congrats on both your shop and your wood haul!!

[Tom Horton]

Stu,
What do you do for work? It sure seems like you spend most of your time in the "dungeon", and out getting wood! The dungeon sure is clean, btw.....

Do you ever get a chance to get any cedar that is used for making shoji? And, is there any chance you can get some of the real shoji paper, and send it stateside?

I grew up in Japan, and have always wanted to find a source for some authentic Japanese materials.

Tom

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Tom we run a Liquor shop, www.masutoh.com

My wife's family have run this shop in the same location for over 100 years!

I'm sure I could send you some Shoji paper, they sell all kinds of it at the DIY place I go to, one they have you just use your steam iron to put it on, no gluing!

As for the cedar, sure, but I bet shipping would be killer, besides, the cedar that is used in Japan for Shoji comes from Northern California, and Oregon, it is called Port Orford Cedar.

I have a great book on making Shoji by a guy named Jay van Arsdale, ISBN4-7700-1364-7

Might be out of print?

Anyway, I work 12 to 16 hours a day in the L shop and then steal some time in the Dungeon when I can, I usually run on 4 to 6 hours sleep, on a good night....

Cheers!

[Ted Christiansen]

Stu,

Excellent story. I got bit by the lumber milling bug earlier this year. You can see some of the wood I have cut here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=25692

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=20785

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=20785

or on the Logosol (www.logosol.com) users forum. I have a Husky 385XP and the Logosol TimberJig. The only problem with this type of setup is that you get very tired pushing the saw through the wood, even with a sharp chain (I sharpen every tank full). About five hours of cutting is the most I can handle. I have designed a mill that will have a crank system to solve this problem.

All of the logs I have cut so far have been free - much like the score you have described here. I have also found a source for logs at $.50/bd ft from a tree service. My dad bought some of those which we cut.

I am happy with the results and have just started using some of the walnut, cherry, red oak and maple that I have cut.

Ted

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Hi Ted, thanks for the info!

I know that pushing the sawmill will be tiring, but this is a once in a life time chance to get some incredible wood for free, well I've given the guys on site a few cases of beer, but I do run a liquor shop.....

Also I have no practical way of moving these logs, so cutting them up on site is the only way to fly.

I guess I'm going to buy that big old Husky saw.

Cheers!

[Barry O'Mahony]

The dungeon is truly amazing. Watch out for nails in urban trees.

I may be in Tokyo this spring; I might have to stop by at the store and buy a 5th of something.